scut207:It's not uncommon for the majority of the populace to point fingers (right or wrong) at downstate Democrats for letting WNY rot while NYC & Albany get all the funding.

I've lived in many years in both the Buffalo area (18 years) and the NYC area (14 years).

So I've seen both sides of the debate. It's characterized by ignorance on both sides.

Generally upstaters think they pay more than their fair share into the state coffers and get less back in services (which isn't true). They usually have a very negative stereotyped view of NYC as a crime-ridden hellhole, fail to appreciate the sheer number of people in the NYC area or the degree to which NYC is an economic engine that drives the state.

Downstaters also tend to have a pretty stereotyped view of upstate. For one thing, they generally have a poor grasp on just how large upstate is, and a poor understanding of basic state geography. They imagine it as more conservative and rural than it really is (most upstaters live in urban areas, and many of those are staunch Democrats, particularly in the rust belt). They fail to appreciate how much lower median income is in upstate regions, and how much state mandates for relatively generous funding of social programs (eg. Medicare) can result in property tax levels that are downright burdensome for people at that income level. They don't appreciate the degree to which downstate politicians (from both parties) generally always hold all of the highest offices in Albany, the feelings of disenfranchisement and resentment this breeds in upstaters. In fact, it was this feeling of regional resentment that drove Paladino's strong support in the WNY region (generally fairly moderate) in the gubernatorial race, far more than any of his political or policy positions.

I've been reading the raw hate for Carl. I'll agree, he can be an jerk at times, but he's primarily a businessman. He ran for the School Board not because he wants to 'get back' at the minority community, but because he's an end user of the product of the BBOA. This august body can turn a billion dollars in funding into a 50% graduation rate.

He's already stated on the record that in any dealings or discussions regarding charter schools he would recuse himself, and in any contractual proceedings regarding his holdings he'd observe the law. He's learned from the mistakes that were made during his gubernatorial run, otherwise he wouldn't have won the post.

He's brusque, arrogant, and abrasive. These are things he's had to have in order to succeed as a businessman in one of the unfriendliest states to do business in. In short, he fits the general description of a Buffalonian. Go ahead, flame me. I'm one too.

I was merely pointing out your high tax rant vs. your derision of conservatives. You're ideologically aligned with them on this. Conservatives in WNY feel that they are over taxed and that the housing cost is inappropriately high due just being part of NYS.

I can see a whole host of issues to have derision of conservatives, you just used a statement that doesn't support your position of calling them mouth breathers.

Buffalo is steeped in racial issues and is a declining economy, most of the blue collar jobs like Ford and Bethlehem have either shut their doors or are running a skeleton crew.

Not really a PSA, but most of WNY has relatively high income & property taxes while not really getting the services that Downstaters get. We get the occasional shot of pork projects, but businesses rightly don't see much advantages to opening doors in WNY.

Rochester is next on the block with Kodak and Xerox hemorrhaging jobs as well.

It's not uncommon for the majority of the populace to point fingers (right or wrong) at downstate Democrats for letting WNY rot while NYC & Albany get all the funding.

Charter schools have opened in a couple of the buildings he owns. Easiest bet in the world is him pushing for more charter schools. That will work for him in two ways: Charter schools need to lease space and his buildings need tenants. Charter schools use non-union teachers.